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Cybersecurity · head to head

Saviynt vs Visual Studio

Saviynt logo

Saviynt

Cybersecurity

Cloud identity governance with privileged access in the same platform

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

Developer Tools

IDE for .NET and C++ development on Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Visual Studio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Saviynt implementation typically runs a year or more with a partner, and the cost of that work regularly exceeds the first year subscription, which is rarely in the initial business case.; Visual Studio community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Saviynt and Visual Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Saviynt and Visual Studio differ
AttributeSaviyntVisual Studio
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Saviynt

  • Identity governance
  • Access certification
  • Segregation of duties
  • Privileged access
  • Cloud entitlements
  • Third party access
  • Access request

Only in Visual Studio

Nothing recorded that Saviynt does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Saviynt

  • An enterprise with an audit finding that privileged administrative accounts are excluded from access reviewsnot Visual Studio
  • A healthcare system governing clinician access to Epic alongside corporate applications in one certification campaignnot Visual Studio
  • A company that has to prove segregation of duties in SAP to an external auditor every yearnot Visual Studio
  • A federal contractor needing an identity governance service with FedRAMP authorisationnot Visual Studio

Visual Studio

  • Managing complex, large-scale projects across multiple platformsnot Saviynt
  • Commercial development in small businessesnot Saviynt
  • DevOps and automated deployment workflowsnot Saviynt
  • Windows/SQL Server developer and tester rolesnot Saviynt
  • Short-term or month-to-month IDE access needsnot Saviynt

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Saviynt

  • Implementation typically runs a year or more with a partner, and the cost of that work regularly exceeds the first year subscription, which is rarely in the initial business case.
  • Governance quality is limited by HR and application data quality, so organisations with inconsistent joiner records spend the early phases correcting source data rather than certifying access.
  • Pricing is per governed identity, so counting contractors, service accounts and non-employee identities materially changes the bill and the definition is worth negotiating explicitly.
  • The privileged access module is younger than the governance core and is not a full substitute for a dedicated PAM product in estates with heavy session recording or credential rotation requirements.
  • Connectors to less common applications require custom development, and each one adds a maintenance burden that reappears every time the target application changes its API.

Visual Studio

  • Community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Monthly subscriptions are $45 per user per month for Professional and $250 per user per month for Enterprise, and do not include perpetual use rights the way annual Standard subscriptions do
  • A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Saviynt

On request
  • Saviynt Identity Cloud$undefined/year
    • Priced per governed identity per year
    • Modules for governance, privileged access and cloud entitlements
    • SaaS delivery with FedRAMP authorised offering available

Visual Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Saviynt if

  • You need identity governance.
  • You also want access certification.
Saviynt review

Choose Visual Studio if

  • You want to start without paying.
Visual Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Saviynt or Visual Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Saviynt starts at On request and Visual Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Saviynt or Visual Studio?
Visual Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Saviynt and Free for Visual Studio.
Does Saviynt or Visual Studio run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Visual Studio for free?
Yes. Visual Studio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Saviynt starts at On request.
What is Saviynt best used for?
Saviynt is most often used for an enterprise with an audit finding that privileged administrative accounts are excluded from access reviews, a healthcare system governing clinician access to epic alongside corporate applications in one certification campaign, a company that has to prove segregation of duties in sap to an external auditor every year, a federal contractor needing an identity governance service with fedramp authorisation. Of those, an enterprise with an audit finding that privileged administrative accounts are excluded from access reviews and a healthcare system governing clinician access to epic alongside corporate applications in one certification campaign are not what Visual Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Saviynt do that Visual Studio cannot?
Saviynt covers Identity governance, Access certification, Segregation of duties, Privileged access.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Saviynt: Does Saviynt replace a PAM vendor?

It can for time-bound privileged access, but organisations with heavy session recording, credential rotation or legacy server access requirements often keep a dedicated PAM product alongside it.

Visual Studio: What are the pricing differences between subscription types?

Standard subscriptions include access to more benefits, such as Azure dev/test pricing, monthly Azure individual credit, software and download access, services, training, and support. Monthly subscriptions offer flexibility but fewer benefits.

Source
Saviynt: Is there a FedRAMP authorised version?

Yes, Saviynt offers a FedRAMP authorised government cloud offering, which matters where that is an eligibility requirement rather than a preference.

Visual Studio: Are discounts available for startups?

There aren't any discounts available to start-ups, however an unlimited number of users within an organization can use Visual Studio Community for specific scenarios like open source work.

Source
Saviynt: How is it priced?

Per governed identity per year, quoted. Define carefully whether service accounts and contractors count toward the identity total.

Visual Studio: Who can use Visual Studio Community for free?

In non-enterprise organizations, up to five users can use it. Enterprise organizations (greater than 250 PCs or greater than $1M annual revenue) cannot use it beyond academic/open-source scenarios.

Source
Visual Studio: What's the renewal pricing structure?

Enterprise standard renews at $214.09/month (after initial $499.92); Professional at $66.59/month (after $99.99).

Source
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